Reviews - Jade War | The StoryGraph

5.69k reviews for:

Jade War

Fonda Lee

4.43 AVERAGE

Only show reviews with written explanations

5.69k reviews for:

Jade War

Fonda Lee

4.43 AVERAGE

Only show reviews with written explanations

jaceisnowhere's review against another edition

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BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!!! I FUCKING LOVED THIS!!! The world building! The believable character growth! The heartbreak! THE RAGE!!!!! I loved seeing the women in this book be so angry and spiteful and to have HEAVY consequences for their pride and ego. Deliciously dramatic. Jade War is a huge step up from Jade City. So excited for the next one.

rjcuse11's review against another edition

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4.0

A gripping middle chapter that expands the world, relationships, and tension. Well-paced, well-written, and filled with a trio of characters to root for.

marianneheese's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

raquelbaggins's review against another edition

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4.0

«“The clan is my blood and the Pillar is its master,” she whispered. “I have a lot of regrets in life, but those oaths aren’t one of them.”»

After thoroughly enjoying Jade City this summer –it was the choice of June for the Adult SFF Challenge–, my friend Raquel and I decided to buddy-read this second instalment in order to get ready for the 2021 expected release of the final book in The Green Bone Saga, an adult Asian-inspired urban fantasy trilogy involving mafia, family feuds, political intrigues and jade power.

Jade War starts more than a year after the ending of the first instalment, this time with a larger setting that takes us back and forth mainly between Janloon –Kekon’s capital and home of the No Peak and Mountain Clans– and Port Massy –an important city in the Republic of Espenia, where jade is banned for the commons and strictly controlled for the government’s warfare plans–, and also a longer timeframe narrative –the story spans over four years–. Although the story is again essentially focused on the No Peak Clan and the Kaul family, with now Hilo as the Pillar, Shae as his Weather Man and Kehn Maik as the Horn; readers have new characters and points of view that broaden out the story, alongside with other familiar characters such as Anden, the youngest of the Kauls now decided not to wear jade ever again after the events in the first book, or Wen, Hilo’s stone-eye (this is, not affected by jade power) wife.

«You come here asking me to commit a crime to help your family, so it’s only right that I ask you for something in return.»

As I have mentioned, the world is extended in this instalment as Fonda Lee also explores how an international armed conflict in Oortoko plays a significant role in the long-term decisions that both Kekon’s Green Bone Clans make throughout the book. As it happened with the first book, one of my favourite aspects was the logic behind the narrative structure chosen by the author, as every new character’s point of view introduced gives you subtle hints for the grand scheme in which they are all involved. Other aspects I appreciated once again were the interactions of the Kaul family and especially the power dynamics between Hilo and Shae, as well as the atmosphere of the story –a godfatheresque / yakuza tale of intrigues where you can’t trust absolutely anyone–.

«She’s the one thing in the world that jade can’t touch. You knew that was a line I would never cross.»

Unfortunately, the pacing of Jade War was rather disappointing: this second book is quite slow and doesn’t burst out until the last third of the novel. Besides, some chapters –especially those involving political schemes between Espenia and Kekon– bored me to tears. Nevertheless, as the last part of the novel is filled with action-packed scenes, well-thought-out plot twists and emotional moments that kept me on the edge of my seat, I ended up being actively engaged in the story, rating it up higher than the first instalment, and craving for more.

All in all, Jade War is a convincing second novel, gripping to some extent, that lays the foundations for a final book in which anything can happen. I can’t recommend enough this series to those who like urban fantasy but stories inhabited by morally grey characters and centred on politics and family feuds.